From 78 to over 200: Why did Delhi's air become unbreathable again?

Delhi's air quality deteriorated yet again on Saturday, with the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) climbing from around 78 to 222 in 24 hours, according to AQI.in data at 11:31 am on October 31.

The rise comes after a brief improvement following rainfall and stronger winds earlier in the week that cleared the air and dropped pollution levels across the capital.

Haze is seen over the Yamuna river, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)The latest readings show pollution building up again, despite rain across most parts of the capital over the past 24 hours.

Data from AQI.in showed pollution levels climbing steadily through Saturday afternoon and evening, reaching their highest levels around midnight before easing during the early morning hours.

However, the improvement did not last as the index began rising again on Saturday morning, crossing 220 by 11:31 am.